Jedis, of course, are famed for their "mind tricks," as when Obi-Wan Kenobi convinced a pair of storm troopers that R2 and C3P-O were not the droids they were looking for. A "mind meld" is a part of the "Star Trek" legend, a method by which Vulcans can communicate with others.

But as the derisive tweets poured in, Garance Franke-Ruta of The Atlantic came to Obama's defense.